LM3S6918_16 Datasheet, PDF (260/694 Pages) Texas Instruments – Stellaris LM3S6918 Microcontroller

Internal Memory
7.2.2.4
7.2.2.5
7.2.2.6
7.3
7.3.1
Read-Only Protection
Read-only protection prevents the contents of the flash block from being re-programmed, while still
allowing the content to be read by processor or the debug interface. Note that if a FMPREn bit is
cleared, all read accesses to the Flash memory block are disallowed, including any data accesses.
Care must be taken not to store required data in a Flash memory block that has the associated
FMPREn bit cleared.
The read-only mode does not prevent read access to the stored program, but it does provide
protection against accidental (or malicious) erasure or programming. Read-only is especially useful
for utilities like the boot loader when the debug interface is permanently disabled. In such
combinations, the boot loader, which provides access control to the Flash memory, is protected
from being erased or modified.
Permanently Disabling Debug
For extremely sensitive applications, the debug interface to the processor and peripherals can be
permanently disabled, blocking all accesses to the device through the JTAG or SWD interfaces.
With the debug interface disabled, it is still possible to perform standard IEEE instructions (such as
boundary scan operations), but access to the processor and peripherals is blocked.
The DBG0 and DBG1 bits of the User Debug (USER_DBG) register control whether the debug
interface is turned on or off.
The debug interface should not be permanently disabled without providing some mechanism–-such
as the boot loader–-to provide customer-installable updates or bug fixes. Disabling the debug
interface is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Interrupts
The Flash memory controller can generate interrupts when the following conditions are observed:
■ Programming Interrupt - signals when a program or erase action is complete.
■ Access Interrupt - signals when a program or erase action has been attempted on a 2-kB block
of memory that is protected by its corresponding FMPPEn bit.
The interrupt events that can trigger a controller-level interrupt are defined in the Flash Controller
Masked Interrupt Status (FCMIS) register (see page 269) by setting the corresponding MASK bits.
If interrupts are not used, the raw interrupt status is always visible via the Flash Controller Raw
Interrupt Status (FCRIS) register (see page 268).
Interrupts are always cleared (for both the FCMIS and FCRIS registers) by writing a 1 to the
corresponding bit in the Flash Controller Masked Interrupt Status and Clear (FCMISC) register
(see page 270).
Flash Memory Initialization and Configuration
Flash Programming
The Stellaris devices provide a user-friendly interface for flash programming. All erase/program
operations are handled via three registers: FMA, FMD, and FMC.
During a Flash memory operation (write, page erase, or mass erase) access to the Flash memory
is inhibited. As a result, instruction and literal fetches are held off until the Flash memory operation
is complete. If instruction execution is required during a Flash memory operation, the code that is
executing must be placed in SRAM and executed from there while the flash operation is in progress.
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July 16, 2014
Texas Instruments-Production Data